A Night in an Abandoned Windmill
by Geezworld234
Summary: Gerry and Sandra are forced to spend the night in an derelict windmill after a disastrous day of inquires. Joint fic with BethyBoo97
1. Inquires

**DISCLAIMER NOT OURS! A joint fic with BethyBoo97 our challenge from Jen was as follows:**

**Gerry and Sandra have to stay over night in a windmill, must include the line "take one more step and I will arrest you" and get as many titles of Amanda Redman shows as listed in her IMBD (they are in bold). Enjoy! :)**

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"Where the hell are we? It's just a load of fields."

"At least it's not trees Gerry." Sandra mocked as she continued down the bumpy road on their way to a 20 year old murder scene.

"Ha ha. Very funny." Gerry commented sarcastically as he looked out to see yet more fields surrounding them.

"So, you have the case file, run through it again."

"**Vincent Donovan, **he was 34 when he died after getting caught in the blades of a windmill. It would have been recorded suicide but he'd been seen on CCTV earlier that day looking very happy and wasn't seen after and the windmill was abandoned after WW2. He had no **close relations** and therefore it was a combination of that fact he had no close relations and that the windmill was abandoned meant that it was 9 days before his body was discovered hanging off the blades."

"What a horrible way to go."

"There is no nice way to go Sandra."

"If I'm being **honest** I think that anything that's over quickly isn't too bad."

"I suppose but I still doubt it's nice. Sandra, do you actually know where we're going?"

"I have a rough idea; can you get that map out and have a look please?" She asked sweetly.

"You know from last time that I'm not very good at map reading."

"And you haven't done anything about it? Well you can't teach an old dog **new tricks **and all that."

"That is your favourite quote, isn't it?"

"Well it gets my point across perfectly."

"I swear we've passed this field already." Gerry commented.

"How did you figure that one out? They are all fields and none of them have any distinguishing features."

"No, because there's a building out of there that I remember."

"And you didn't think to tell me that earlier?!" Sandra asked as she struggled to keep her anger at bay.

"Well I didn't know we were lost earlier, anyway it's probably a farming building."

"And? There's the possibility of people who can tell us where we are and possibly help us."

As they crawled along down the 20mph lane they in fact realised that the farm was actually a small country pub.

"Great, I needed a drink. Time for a drink I think and its expenses."

"I doubt it, anyway we're on duty."

"Technically yes but what can one do really?"

"I suppose, anyway they could help us with directions considering we're in the middle of no where."

"At last we are 'ere" Gerry said slamming the passenger door shut before reaching in his pocket for a carton of cigarettes.

"**The hope and Glory ** pub the last place **Vincent Donavan** was seen alive, let's hope there is someone here who remembers him or the incidents surrounding his murder twenty years ago" Sandra sighed at the long shot locking her car.

"Yeah, and you can get me a pint of the landlord's best bitter while we are here" he winked at his boss.

"You will be lucky Gerry Standing, I was the one who drove us fifty three miles, If anyone is getting bought a drink its me"

"Alright, you are just annoyed that no one else will touch this case so we got landed with it" he replied discarding a third of his cigarette.

"Well, aren't you? We drive up to the middle of nowhere, with only this Jonathan Braithwaite as a potential lead and even that rubbish he is spouting out about apparently knowing where **Donavan **was heading after going to the pub. There are piles of cases on my desk that are just as important and more importantly have more leads" she sighed an afternoon with Gerry in the middle of nowhere was not how she liked to spend her working time.

**The Hope and Glory **pub like the rest of the area was near enoughderelict, the atmosphere inside was eerie and while Gerry wasn't bothered after all it was the only thing that stood in his way of a well deserved pint, it gave Sandra the creeps.

"A pint of your best bitter and a small dry white wine please" Gerry ordered, thinking it would be safest if he bought this round.

"And we would like a word with the landlord please, if it's not too much trouble" Sandra added.

"You're not from Environmental Health are you?" the bar maid asked. Unimpressed, Sandra flashed her police ID badge at the girl's way.

"Crikey, are you lost" quipped the girl.

"Just get the landlord please" Sandra replied with a sarcastic smile.

"Yes, of course" the girl stuttered.

"Thanks for the wine, Gerry, I would get the next round but we me driving I best not risk another" she winked.

"Typical woman" Gerry said post spit of his bitter.

"I understand you would like a word with me" a man said emerging from the backroom.

"Yes, I'm Detective Superintendant Pullman, this is my colleague Gerry Standing we are from the Metropolitan Police's Unsolved Crime and Open Case Squad-"

"So what are you doing out here" he asked interrupting her.

"We are asked to help investigate the murder of **Vincent Donavan **at the old windmill twenty years ago, were you in charge then" she asked the middle aged man.

"Oh yeah, I remember, yes I was".

"Can you remember **Donavan** coming into the pub on the night in question?" Gerry asked.

"Vaguely, I mean in those days the place was pact to the rafters, unlike now" he said pointing at the two regulars sat the other side of the bar.

"Well was there anything suspicious" Sandra asked.

"No, not that I remember" he answered eying up Sandra's bag.

"Guv, it's Jack, I better take this" Gerry said fishing out his phone.

"Well I need to use the loo" Sandra said risking leaving her bag in the almost empty pub.

When she returned she caught the Landlord with his hands on her bag.

"Oi, take one more step and I will arrest you".

"Sorry, I was just moving it" he stammered in a panic.

"Yeah right, could you tell us the best way to get to the old windmill" Sandra asked hoping Gerry would hurry the hell up.

"It's only round the corner, off the beaten track like, there is no parking but you are more than welcome to leave your car here" he said attempting to redeem himself.

"Cheers" she flashed a false smile "come one Gerry we are going" she said as he remerged.


	2. Deadly Windmill

"Why do we even need to look at this windmill anyway, we know how he died and I doubt this gaff will tell us anything we don't know" Gerry said staring at the windmill of death.

"It's a reinvestigation, Gerry we always start at the scene of the crime and anyway I thought you of all people would jump at the change to go on an excursion" she said rubbing her feet, the landlord may have said the windmill was only around the corner but the path leading up to it seemed to stretch on for an eternity.

"Yeah well, I don't like this place, it gives me the creeps".

"Me and all but come on the sooner we get inside the sooner we get back to London". She said forcing the stiff door open with her shoulder.

Both Sandra and Gerry coughed when then stepped inside they couldn't see much of inside for the masses of dust.

"Blimey, haven't they heard of spring cleaning" Gerry said using the sleeve of his coat as a make shift mask all those years of smoking had taken its toll and he had developed a mild case of asthma.

"Well the windmill was a popular spot for hiding yourself off from the world until **Vincent Donavan **died here according to Jonathan Braithwaite".

"Well I'm not surprised no one has dared step foot in here since, I'm getting a feeling of unfinished business in here".

"Well that is why were are here Gerry".

"Hey Guv, has anyone thought of bringing in Braitwaite for questioning I'm raising** Suspicion** about him" Gerry asked trying to get familiar with his surroundings, **The Sight **was minimal, the odd floor board was missing and all Gerry could see at the far side of the room was a small pile of dusty books.

"Jack and Brian are going to speak with him and his family later this evening, apparently they are a very close family and they want to be involved in the interview process" Sandra said tracing her gloved finger across the window ledge clearing it of dust.

"Jack and Brian **At Home With the Braithwaites **how very cosy" Gerry scoffed.

"So we know **Donavan **had drunk a substantial amount at the pub before coming here but no one commented on the fact he managed to get here from the pub alone, so maybe he was followed or with someone else" Sandra said looking at the old unsteady wooden ladder that led to the window where the sails were located.

"Yeah possibly but he might not have needed to drink that much to get effected by it he may have just come here, thinking he was invincible, claimed the ladder and that was the end of 'im, after in the state he was in this **Dangerfield **was bound to claim a **Casualty **or two" Gerry said logically.

"Possible, come on I don't think we will find anything here, let's go, this place is giving me the creeps as well". Sandra said rummaging through her bag, looking for her car keys. "I don't believe it, that Landlord must have swiped my keys from my bag while I was at the loo".

"What, you left your bag unattended, Sandra are you mad? That is just asking for trouble".

"Yeah alright Gerry, don't lecture me on stupidity, we are going to have to go back, come on" she said checking he hadn't taken anything else out of her bag.

"Nah, not possible Guv, I saw a sign on the door as we left saying they shut at six this evening, its ten to seven now." He said shoving his watch in her face.

"Great what are we going to do, knowing my luck that slime ball will have taken my car half way across the county by now" she ran her hand through her hair sighing in desperation.

"Well looks like we have no choice but to stay here till the morning" he grinned.

"There's no way I'm staying the night here with you."

"We have no option Sandra, we're in the middle of no where there's no hotels. Well actually that bar had a few rooms going."

"I'd rather stay here then go there, that man was weird."

"I suppose we should figure out where we're going to sleep then. There's no power or anything here so we'll have to stay close to each other for warmth."

"I bet that works on other women. Nice try though." Sandra replied as they found a room that looked relatively comfy, well as comfy as floors could get but the floor boards were intact. "What are we going to do then? I mean we stay here tonight, then what?"

"We walk back to that pub and ask to use the phone to ring Jack."

"Yeah but lets not forget that the man who took my keys works there."

"Lets not think of that right now, I mean it's 6 o'clock and we've not eaten and have nothing to do while staying here."

"There's some books down there, I saw **Little Dorrit **and **The Ruth Rendell Mysteries**. So we can read and trust you to be bothered about food."

"Maybe we should go through the case files again or just have an early night."

"I like the sound of an early night, I mean I didn't sleep too well."

"Boyfriend?"

"You know full well I don't have one Gerry."

"Good, none of them ever treat you right." Gerry commented as he got up to explore the room they were sitting in. "This box says **Richard's things**. It may have something in it that could help us with boredom or the case."

"Yeah because I'm sure a picture of **the blonde bombshell **is going to help us." Sandra told him sarcastically as she joined him in rooting through the box.

"So why didn't you sleep well last night?"

"Mum's staying just now and she kept saying every year she hoped that I'd be married or at least in a long term relationship by my **next birthday**."

"Well you could have any bloke you wanted."

"No I couldn't." Sandra told him sadly but he didn't get the double meaning to her words. "Anyway I don't want to have this conversation. I'm going to sleep."

"Yeah I may join you."

"I know you said about the cold but if you try anything then it wont just be **Vincent **who died here."

"Yeah yeah. I'll be the other side of them room then."

"Night." Sandra said as she curled up into foetal position to keep herself warm.

"Gerry?" she whispered as she hoped he wasn't really asleep.

"Yeah?"

"I'm cold. Can I lay next to you?"

"Of course you can." She lay down next to him and out of pure instinct and affection he pulled her closer to keep her warm.

"What are you doing?"

"Keeping you warm." She leaned over and kissed his cheek, well she tried to but he moved and instead got his lips and to his surprise she didn't even pull back when it happened but to her surprise he was kissing her too. She yawned as she pulled away.

"Sleep now madam. I'll keep you warm."

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_**The end! We hope you liked it! Feel free to review! Beth and Gee :) x**_


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